Hawaii attorney general moves forward with corruption probe

thegardenisland.com · Feb 17, 2026 · Collected from GDELT

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Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke refuses to say whether she has been subpoenaed or interviewed by state law enforcement as part of a criminal public corruption probe into an unidentified state lawmaker who took allegedly received $35,000 in a paper bag while being recorded by an FBI informant. Hawaii Attorney General Anne E. Lopez said at a news conference in Honolulu Friday that her office has issued “multiple subpoenas and completed several interviews” as part of the investigation that has consumed Hawaii politics at the start of an election year. On Monday, Luke said she did not take $35,000 in a paper bag at a Jan. 20, 2022, dinner in front of then-colleague and FBI informant Ty J.K. Cullen, but that she may be the lawmaker who federal prosecutors said Cullen recorded at the dinner with a lobbyist and his daughter. Luke’s acknowledgement that she might be at the center of the investigation came after months of speculation about which “influential state legislator” was taped by the FBI at the 2022 dinner as part of a U.S. Department of Justice’s bribery probe. Luke, who is running for reelection, declined to say Friday whether she was subpoenaed or if she would voluntarily speak to state criminal investigators. Luke also would not say if she has already met with state law enforcement officers. “The Attorney General underscored her department’s independence and emphasized the importance of allowing her and her team to follow the facts in their ongoing investigation,” Luke said in a statement. “I respect the Attorney General’s process and the seriousness of the work underway. I will cooperate with any review. “Public service requires accountability and transparency. I remain focused on doing the work the people of Hawaii elected me to do supporting our communities, strengthening our economy and ensuring the state government continue to operate with stability and integrity.” “I will not comment further on this investigation while the review is ongoing, but I have confidence the process will follow the facts,” she said in a statement. On Monday, Luke told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser that she was invited to that 2022 dinner with Cullen by lobbyist Tobi Solidum, who is now a target of a federal corruption and COVID-19 fraud probe, and his daughter Kristen Pae. The separate state probe, which was announced Jan. 20, arose from the federal bribery case that sent Cullen and former state Senate Majority Leader J. Kalani English to federal prison. Cullen, who had served as Luke’s vice chair when she ran the House Fiance Committee, and English were bribed with cash, casino chips, hotel rooms and other incentives by the then-Honolulu wastewater executive Milton J. Choy. After pleading guilty to bribery charges, English was sentenced to 40 months in federal prison in July 2022 and Cullen received a two-year sentence in April 2023. Cullen received less prison time than English because of his “substantial assistance” to the Justice Department. Choy died in federal custody in June 2024. Cullen sat down with investigators from the state Attorney General’s office on Thursday, according to his attorney, Birney B. Bervar. Cullen was not subpoenaed and volunteered for the interview with state law enforcement, his attorney told the Star-Advertiser. Bervar declined comment on what was discussed. English could not be reached for comment. At Friday’s news conference, Lopez said, “My legal and ethical duties demand that this investigation be done by the book. It is for this reason, that today I can’t answer questions that people are asking. I cannot name names; I cannot tell you what evidence we’ve received; and I can’t tell you whether or not a crime has been committed. Revealing this information could jeopardize not only the right of the … suspects in this investigation but the entire case … I assure the people of Hawaii, we are taking this seriously. I ask for some patience.” Lopez said a team of two deputy attorney generals, two investigators and two analysts are working “day and night” on the criminal investigation. She said she has not received any political pressure to complete the probe before the Aug. 8 primary elections. “If a crime has been committed, I will prosecute it to the fullest extent of the law,” Lopez said. Luke on Monday said she didn’t take cash in a paper bag but she might be the lawmaker Cullen recorded. She said she gave back $10,000 to Solidum and Pae in March 2022 after Cullen and English pleaded guilty in the federal bribery case. Luke said her campaign did not report receiving the $10,000 to the Hawaii Campaign Spending Commission because of a “clerical oversight.” Her campaign reported the returned $10,000 donations last week, and amended their spending reports, After Luke’s revelation Monday, the commission told the Star-Advertiser that it is investigating if any state laws were broken in the matter. Local lawmakers Members of Hawaii’s congressional delegation, state House and Senate and Gov. Josh Green responded to Star-Advertiser inquiries about whether they spoke with the FBI or the Attorney General’s investigators as part of the criminal investigations. The revelation that Solidum is a target of a federal investigation and may be hiding out in the Philippines has moved some state and federal lawmakers to follow Luke’s lead and return campaign contributions. Choy and Solidum donated $31,450 to the same state and county candidates between 2014 and 2021. Choy donated $160,150 and Solidum gave $108,626 to state and county lawmakers between 2014 and 2022. Luke said she gave $25,100 in donations from Choy and 16 family members, friends, and business associates to the Campaign Spending Commission in February 2022. Solidum also gave $68,950 to candidates seeking federal office between 2003 and 2022. In 2022, lawmakers returned or donated the campaign contributions they received from Choy. U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz received $5,900 in contributions from Solidum. “All contributions from Tobi Solidum and those associated with him are being donated to a local homeless services nonprofit,” said in a statement to the Star-Advertiser from Schatz’s campaign. U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono received $2,500 from Solidum and is also donating it to Hawaii nonprofits. Neither Schatz nor Hirono have been questioned by state or federal investigators as part of the ongoing corruption cases. U.S. Rep. Jill Tokuda was not approached by investigators either. Tokuda’s colleague in the House, Rep. Ed Case, did not reply to a Star-Advertiser request for comment. Green has not been questioned by state or federal law enforcement or the Campaign Spending Commission. Senate President Ronald D. Kouchi told the Star-Advertiser in a statement that none of the current Democratic majority members have been questioned by state or federal investigators. Senate Minority Leader Brenton Awa also told the newspaper that no member of his caucus has spoken to state or federal law enforcement. State Sen. Karl Rhoads said he received $250 on Oct. 25, 2016, from Solidum and $100 from Gary Kurokawa, former Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s chief of staff who worked with Solidum on the COVID-19 testing contracts at the city. “If it becomes clear that either of them did something illegal, I will give the money to the Campaign Spending Commission. I have not been questioned by anyone about this matter,” said Rhoads. State Sen. Stanley Chang said his campaign is in the process of donating the $1,500 of his Solidum’s contributions to the commission. And state. Sen. Joy A. San Buenaventura said she never took any money from Solidum, has not been questioned, and never met with him. Cathy S. Lee, the state House majority communications director, told the Star-Advertiser that current members of House leadership have not been contacted by the U.S. Department of Justice, the Department of the Attorney General, or the Campaign Spending Commission regarding the individual referenced in the paper-bag allegation or the state’s COVID-19 testing contract. State Rep. Lisa Kitagawa said she received a $500 donation from Solidum in 2018 and will be giving the donation to the Campaign Spending Commission.